Topic for
8/9/97:		 Should parents be strictly liable for the crimes of their unemancipated children?



Name: Sunny
Email: ldc4614@utarlg.UTA.EDU
Response: I believe that if you make a child/children you are responsible for them from birth, until they get out of your house on their own. Times wouldn't be as hard as they are now if parents took more control over their bad children. I'm the youngest of 6 kids and I'm not gonna lie like we all turned out perfect. But my momma raised us by herself with no kind of assistance from our fathers But 3 of us are now in college, one in nursing training and the other two are kind of struggling but they are still trying. There is no excuse for any parent not being able to take care of their responsibilities!!!


Name:
Email: Gensvc@aol.com
Response: Parents do have a lot of liability in what their children do, up to a point. When the child refuses to obey and the parent decides that they are unable to control, then there should be an option. Government has restricted how much punishment can be used in the home, so let the government bear the problem.


Name: K. Leonard
Email: leonard@detroitbest.net
Response: Yes, parents should be liable for their children's behavior, both criminal and civil. Parents are responsible for teaching their children to respect other people and their property. Children are naturally selfish; they cry their little heads off until the get fed, or their diaper changed, or they are sleepy and want to be left alone. If they didn't need this parental training, they would be born grown; or at least fly the coop at a much earlier age, like lions and tigers and birds. Too many parents take the easy way out by saying " I can't do a thing with that child." But they must be made to face up to the reponsibilities they have taken on by bringing children into the world. All this in spite of the wrong-headed ones who shout about childrens' rights, and lawyers who talk about children divorcing their parents. People get rights when they are paying their own way, not before. It mainly takes time and patience to teach children right from wrong, but you can't do it if you're out partying yourself or doing drugs and other self-destructive things in their presence. That's teaching them to disrespect themselves so they can't be expected to have respect for other people and their property.


Name: RENEE D. HOGAN
Email: RDHOGAN@UMD.EDU
Response: I do believe that parents have to be held accountable for the actions of their children. We are not born criminals. Our morals are learned from our surroundings and outside influences. Parents who allow their children to be raised by negative influences in our present society such as: Television, derogatory music, and in most instances their peers who cannot give guidance on things they themselves need assistance with, should be held responsible if their child chooses to engage in the wrong activities. It is the responsibility of the parents to mold their children's thinking and not allow the dregs of society to do it for them.


Name: Lyndell
Email:
Response: Parents should be held accountable for the misconduct of their children. It is not the police, schools, churches or even your next door neighbor's responsibility to raise your children. Children, especially teenagers, are out of hand. I see teenagers on the street late at night. People use the area malls as a dropoff point for their kids. Parents need to become more involved with their children. Remember you chose to bring these kids into the world. When parents realize they will face the punishment for their children actions, only then will they shake those little brats in line.


Name: Dave Roussell
Email: dersousse@valdosta.peachnet.edu
Response: Unfortunately for those who would like to pass their responsibilities onto someone else god does not allow this. God requires that every parent protect, cultivate and nurture their child. So if your child is doing bad things and not obeying the laws of the land then you must understand that he or she is a product of your cultivation. Everyone and everything that is associated with our lives tells the world something about us. So if your child is not a God fearing law abiding citizen then you don't need to look at the child you should probably be questioning your own morality and discipline.


Name: CAD
Email: Blkcat411
Response: We need to discuss the value placed on Black lives..by us and others. Two incidents 1) Virginia lynching of Garrett P. 2) New York assault of haitian immigrant 3) Black on Black crime.


Name: Dorothea Hudley
Email: midsong@aol.com
Response: No, the parent should not be liable, even though the crime should warrant some punishment. The minor child should be made to work some sort of job and the check should go directly to the person victimized. If the minor stops working the job before paying off the debt, they should get jail time. While in jail, they will continue to work to pay the debt and released upon full payment.


Name: FA Hickman
Email: fahickman@aol.com
Response: NO. Parents cannot be with their children 24/7. Even though parents set proper examples and set rules, there is never any guarantee that children will always obey. At some point, the child must assume the responsibility for his/her actions and suffer the consequences or reap the rewards for doing good.


Name: Tarris
Email: tharris@plcmc.lib.nc.us
Response: Theoretically I believe parents should be held accountable and are responsible for the actions of their children. However in the real world most parents who have children that would be in these types of situations are working outside of the home in back-breaking type jobs. These parents are typically under-educated and without resources to seek professional help. As a parent of three adults and a foster mother of four young teen-age men who were written off by society long ago (I also work outside my home and run a small business), I believe that each person is responsible and accountable for their actions. This includes children. Our society's desire to place the blame for our actions at someone else's feet is assisting in the down fall of the integrity of all Americans. Sure parents can help guide children, but essentially above the age of three, their is a choice being made by each action and the responsibility lies with the choice maker.


Name: Ryan Calloway
Email: CALLOWR@GPB.ORG
Response: I feel that parents are liable. But I also feel that the child has to be held accountable for his or her actions. Parents should set the ground work and reinforce their teaching and beliefs to their children on a daily basis. I believe that some parents don't believe that rearing a child is a full-time job. When you take the time to as Sprite says, "Do the Dew", then you need to know what you are getting into. You have an entire life time to get the job done right. Most people perfer to put the burden on teachers and the justice system to take care of our children. A long time ago we had extended families to help rear and supervise our child, but now everyone wants to close their doors and eyes to the entire community. Unfortunately, our communities are the ones that are suffering from our children causing so much chaos. Now, don't get me wrong I know that there are some parents doing a jam up job and some of the children are doing like wise, but we also have a fair share of people doing next to nothing if not teaching the wrong things. The question that I pose to everyone, what punishment should be handed out to either parent, child, or both. Like one of the other respondents to the question, I believe if the parents can be found to be negligent then they should be punished. Should it be monetary, which might cause the household to suffer because money is being spent elsewhere? Should jail time or community service be used? I think counseling would help, but some people wouldn't show up. So now what do you do? Children learn early on what is right and what is wrong. On the child's part, they at times make a conscious decision to go against their parents teachings. Parent who lay down the law can be put in jail for doing what a parent should do to a disobedient child. I look at some of the systems that are beginning to be enforced, such as curfews, and I still believe they are a poor substitute for parents doing their job or responsibility. I truly believe the black community must rely on our greatest resource. Each other. But we must stop all of our petty fighting and unite into one strong family. We can't allow for others, who are unlike us, to be responsible for our children. I believe both parents and children should be accountable, but if we don't get our act together we will all suffer. United we stand, Divided we fall.


Name: Beverly Stith
Email:
Response: I strongly feel that parents should be held accountable for the criminal actions of their child(ren). Parents have an obligation to the family and society to insure that their minor child(ren) respect authority which includes local, state and Federal laws. If parents set a good example before the child, then the child will attempt to follow the rules and guidelines, if not, the child is on his/her own to make his/her own decision(s). Basicly, a child will imitate the behavior of the parents. If there is no direction, quite often they make the wrong decision(s). On the other hand, if a child is a constant trouble-maker and has had problems with the law, there is a reason why. The parent(s) should seek medical assistance for the child. There maybe something lacking in the child's life, and the crimes is a manner of obtaining attention.


Name:
Email: GOVT-JAB@NICH.NSUNET.NICH.EDU
Response: Yes, my parent's were for me and I for my children. And,I think that's true for most Black Baby Boomers. The problem, as I see it, is that many Black late Boomers and Generation X parents and children do not have the "sounding boards" I and my parent's had whether affinal or consanguineal or both.


Name: Debbie Johnson
Email:
Response: Yes I believe parents should be held liable. Perhaps then people will take responsibility for their children. I see entirely too many small children running wild in the streets. No adult supervision, I also see them during the work day when they should be in school. This means that there are parents somewhere who could care less. Even if they are working they should have enough contact with the child's school to know that they are not attending. This is a harsh punishment, but something must be done to force individuals to take responsibility for the lives they bring into this world. I realize peer pressure is a strong pressure for today's youth. But what if all the parents in the neighborhood were involved in their children's lives from an early age. Then the child involved in negative activities would feel pressured to do what's right instead of vice versa.


Name: David T. Bennett
Email: dbennett@sunsoft.org
Response: A Childs actions while out of the home are directly related to how they are raised in the home. Parents should be held responsible for the actions of their children.


Name: Frances Murphy
Email: FrankieLou@aol.com
Response: Yes. Parents need to understand that they cannot just have babies for the fun of it. Once your child is born you must take responsibility for his/ her actions until they reach the legal age of adulthood. This throwing up of hands and saying "I can't cope" must stop. It's your child. Take care of it. And if you don't -- pay the price so others will not have to shoulder your responsibilities.


Name: Solomon Landers
Email: Numberup@worldnet.att.net
Response: Strict liability introduces an element of unfairness: that people should suffer for someone else's wrongdoing. Mitigating circumstances should be taken into consideration: whether the parents have done everything humanly possible to educate and guide their children. Too-strict control can border on child abuse. Control which is too lax fosters delinquency. Parents already have some liability for the misdeeds of their juveniles. Unless it can be shown that the parents have abdicated their responsibility, and have failed in providing fundamental parenting, they should not be held strictly liable.


Name: I Didn't Rise
Email: s015lab@desire.wright.edu
Response: No, parents should not be held strictly liable for the crimes of their unemancipated children. They should be financially responsible, while the child is then consequently detained in reform school to pay for his/her crimes.